10 or 11 week old squirrel with calcium deficiency.

[Georgiatrue]

Hello!! I have followed the emergency advice for treating MBD. My squirrel perked right up!!! Is it possible that lack of enough sunlight exposure could have led to this situation? Squirrel Girl is about 10 weeks old and weaned herself about a week ago. She has been incredibly heathy and vibrant. I bought Henry's rodent blocks immediately and she's been eating them until recently. Since she was refusing them I tried the "boo ball" recipe I found on a local squirrel rescue site. Ground up Henry's, Fox brand squirrel fomula, walnuts and baby food and coconut oil. She ate them like crazy so I thought I was out of the woods. However today I noticed that all she wanted was sleep and she was making little sad noises. She also didn't want to jump to her favorite spots in the house. :( Worry worry worry. I found the Emergency Treatment and after 2 feedings of tums with water she is back to normal.
I was surprised to find that her problem was MBD because I thought I'd been so diligent. However, I realized after reading more that she has not been outside enough. I am in Oregon and I put her out on sunny days but it's been raining like crazy here. I zoomed out today and bought a full spectrum bulb and SG is basking in it now. What else should I do? I've called several local rehabbers to try to get help for her from day one with no response. In OR if you bring in a non native squirrel they will euthanize immediately. She's an Eastern Gray.
LOVE TO HEAR from you guys!!! So glad you are here.

Laura

[SammysMom]

Are you quite sure that there wasn't an injury? She is very young and has had a decent diet to have MBD.

[stepnstone]

Hello!! I have followed the emergency advice for treating MBD. My squirrel perked right up!!! Is it possible that lack of enough sunlight exposure could have led to this situation? Squirrel Girl is about 10 weeks old and weaned herself about a week ago. She has been incredibly heathy and vibrant. I bought Henry's rodent blocks immediately and she's been eating them until recently. Since she was refusing them I tried the "boo ball" recipe I found on a local squirrel rescue site. Ground up Henry's, Fox brand squirrel fomula, walnuts and baby food and coconut oil. She ate them like crazy so I thought I was out of the woods. However today I noticed that all she wanted was sleep and she was making little sad noises. She also didn't want to jump to her favorite spots in the house. :( Worry worry worry. I found the Emergency Treatment and after 2 feedings of tums with water she is back to normal.
I was surprised to find that her problem was MBD because I thought I'd been so diligent. However, I realized after reading more that she has not been outside enough. I am in Oregon and I put her out on sunny days but it's been raining like crazy here. I zoomed out today and bought a full spectrum bulb and SG is basking in it now. What else should I do? I've called several local rehabbers to try to get help for her from day one with no response. In OR if you bring in a non native squirrel they will euthanize immediately. She's an Eastern Gray.
LOVE TO HEAR from you guys!!! So glad you are here.
Laura
Perking up after 2 tums does suggest a calcium deficiency, however if she were on a proper formula just weaned a week ago I can't see mbd being the problem, too fast of an onset. What was the formula she was taking?
Rodent block is what follows formula and the other best assurance against mbd. It does need to be their primary food.

I think the use of full spectrum lighting is absolutely necessary with "captive" squirrels (in intervals) where sunlight is unavailable.
Lately I've had several veterinarians stressing this.

Need a little more history to try to figure why or if she may be low on calcium. If she were getting what was needed in her formula,
a week without just seems unlikely.
If this is related to mbd you will need to continue calcium treatments to give her bones time to replace the extracted calcium.

[Georgiatrue]

Thanks so much guys. I am taking her to the Squirrel Refuge in Vancouver WA today, where a licensed rehabber will look at her for me.
It is really strange in that she is perfectly fine today. I think you must be right that something else and not MBD caused her to feel poorly.
The Refuge has offered to help me get her ready for release. Do you think giving her a wild life is the right thing to do? We are so attached to her, but want her to be as happy as possible.

[CritterMom]

The folks there are members here - they are wonderful. Great choice!!

[stepnstone]

Thanks so much guys. I am taking her to the Squirrel Refuge in Vancouver WA today, where a licensed rehabber will look at her for me.
It is really strange in that she is perfectly fine today. I think you must be right that something else and not MBD caused her to feel poorly.
The Refuge has offered to help me get her ready for release. Do you think giving her a wild life is the right thing to do? We are so attached to her, but want her to be as happy as possible.

Absolutely! :clap
Being in the wild is their natural intended life as they were designed and created for.
Our attachments to them can not replace their natural instincts to be free.
Anytime a squirrel is releasable, it's always the right thing to do!http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/thanks/animated-thank-you-smiley-emoticon.gif